Kimberly Stokka Merendino

About Me

Dr. Stokka is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and has a Doctorate in Child and Family Studies from the University of Denver. She is an approved supervisor through the Association of Play Therapy and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Throughout her career, Dr. Stokka’s experience has focused primarily on work with young children and their families.

Her approach to treatment includes a systemic perspective with the belief that each person has a valuable role in the family system. Dr. Stokka very frequently utilizes play therapy in treatment with children and families. She believes this approach provides the ability to “play detective” to determine the best solution in helping children and families through difficult circumstances. The Association for Play Therapy (www.a4pt.org) defines play therapy as a process in which “trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development.”

For over 14 years, Dr. Stokka has worked within the early childhood sector in early care and education settings at the local, state, and national level. She has consulted with early education centers and schools, provided coaching for teachers in elementary schools, provided home intervention services, and play therapy in hospital settings with children and their families. She has worked extensively with military children and their families both on and off installations.

In 2004, she received an award as an Outstanding Young Coloradoan for her volunteer time as a play therapist and behavioral consultant. In 2008, she co-authored a chapter on play therapy techniques for young children with disabilities in the text Play Therapy for Very Young Children. For approximately five years, Dr. Stokka provided support as a mental health specialist for the National Medical Response Team, which deploys in the event of a national disaster. Currently, her focus is on providing play therapy services for children and their families and supervising graduate students seeking licensure or registration as a play therapist.